The Getty Center is not just for art lovers. Perched in the hills above West Los Angeles, the main branch of the world-class museum may look like an elevated modernist city. Its dramatic buildings, meanwhile, house galleries filled with masterpieces that might intimidate those not familiar with 17th-century Baroque art—or with the sculptures of Henry Moore or Isamu Noguchi.

But herein lies the beauty of the Getty Center: Whether you go for art, for the free Friday night concerts, for kid-friendly programs, or just to find the perfect place for a relaxing picnic lunch, it has something for everyone. Even better? Admission is free. (You just need to pay for parking.)

Designed by renowned architect Richard Meier, the main Getty Center complex includes the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Research Institute, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Harold M. Williams Auditorium, two cafés, a full-service restaurant, and more than 86 acres of landscaped gardens and terraces to explore. About 14 miles away—in Pacific Palisades, near Malibu—the Getty Villa focuses on ancient Greek and Roman art, housed in a Roman-style country house.

Overall, the Getty features the personal collection of businessman and art collector J. Paul Getty, who saw art as a civilizing influence in society and sought to make it more widely available to the public. Through the work of the J. Paul Getty Trust after his death, the Getty museum now consists of five two-story pavilions featuring hundreds of pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculptures, and decorative arts., as well as 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century photographs.

Getty Center Travel Tips

While there are no entrance fees for either the Getty Center or the Getty Villa, you do have to request a free ticket for the Villa, and you typically need to pay $15 for parking at either location. While that parking fee covers the whole car—a good reminder to carpool—there are a few other ways to both maximize that parking fee and your time at the Getty.

Visit after 3 p.m.

Don’t need all day at the museum? Visit the Getty Center or Getty Villa after 3 p.m. and pay only $10 for parking. While the Villa closes at 5 p.m. most of the year and the Getty Center at 5:30 p.m., both locations stay open later during the summer months on certain weekend days. The Getty Center remains open until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and the Villa is open until 9 p.m. on Saturdays.

Bike, bus, Uber, or Lyft

Avoid the parking fee altogether by taking public transportation, a bike, or a ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft to the Getty. Bicyclists can park for free on the entry level of the parking structure. Visitors using Lyft or Uber can be dropped off at the designated turnaround area, located outside of the parking structure. See the Getty Center and Getty Villa pages for the specifics on buses and light rail options.

Visit both in one day

Visitors planning to hit both the Getty Center and the Getty Villa in one day can get a same-day parking coupon, good for parking at both locations, for just one $15 fee. (Or $10, if you’re arriving after 3 p.m.) Just visit the Museum Information Desk at either the Getty Center or the Getty Villa to pick up your complimentary same-day parking pass. (One hitch: The offer is not valid on Mondays or Tuesdays.)

Must-See Gardens at the Getty Center

In between exploring the Getty Center’s indoor exhibits, head outside to visit the museum’s expansive grounds and gardens. From carefully curated gardens to eye-catching sculpture displays (there’s even a garden devoted entirely to the humble cactus), the Getty’s outdoor spaces are both gorgeous and fascinating. To enrich your exploration, download the Getty Center’s audio tour podcast.

Fran and Ray Stark Sculpture Garden

Before hopping on the tram between the parking structure and the main part of the Getty Center, take time to explore the serene Fran and Ray Stark Sculpture Garden. This collection of modern and contemporary sculptures was donated by the trustees of the late film producer Ray Stark and his wife, Fran, and includes sculptures like Henry Moore’s Bronze Form and Isamu Noguchi’s The Tent of Holofernes. This is also a nice spot to relax, thanks to the fountains, secluded seating areas, and skyline views.

Central Garden

The most popular garden at the Getty, the 134,000-square-foot Central Garden was created in 1997 by installation artist Robert Irwin. This is the perfect place to take a break, enjoy a picnic, and participate in another kind of art experience at the Getty: the more than 500 varieties of trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers are a constantly evolving exhibit that highlights the relationships between nature, experience, and design. From the tree-lined walkway to the bougainvillea arbors and a central pool, all of the plants and structures were selected to accentuate the interplay of color, light, and reflection. Be sure to make it to the garden plaza to find Irwin’s quote carved into the stone floor: “Always changing, never twice the same.”

Lower Terrace Garden

After exploring the Central Garden, head west to the Lower Terrace Garden, which overlooks the city. Especially fun for younger visitors, this garden features six sculptures, including Walking Flower, The Jousters, and the movable, wind-activated Three Squares Gyratory.

Cactus Garden

Celebrate the king of eco-friendly vegetation at the Getty Center’s South Museum Pavilion. Walk along the raised path to view dozens of cacti of different sizes, shapes, and colors that contrast with the cityscape behind them. If you’re visiting on a clear day, the view beyond the Cactus Garden may extend all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Dining at the Getty Center

Planning on spending a full day at the Getty Center? It’s not hard—not only is there plenty to see, but there are more than three meals’ worth of dining options at the Getty to keep you fed. Here are our picks, along the budget spectrum.

Cheap eats: BYO picnic

The Getty Center allows visitors to bring their own food and drinks to enjoy at locations on the Getty grounds. Set up at the picnic tables at the lower tram plaza, if you need to return coolers and supplies to the car, or bring a blanket and lounge on the lawn near the Central Garden. While you can’t BYOB, beer and wine are available for purchase at the coffee carts.

Grab-and-go: Coffee carts

If you just need a quick bite between exhibits, look for one of the coffee carts—one in the Museum Courtyard and one near the Tram Arrival Plaza. Choose from the collection of sandwiches, salads, soups, and snacks, plus espresso drinks, juice, wine, and beer.

Mid-range meals: the Garden Terrace Cafe and the Cafe

If you’re looking for something a bit more substantial than the coffee cart, head to one of the Getty Center’s two on-site cafés. The Garden Terrace Cafe is located on the lower level, underneath the Exhibitions Pavilion. Here you’ll find quick eats in a casual outdoor setting overlooking the Central Garden. Closer to the tram Arrival Plaza, you’ll find the self-service Cafe with hot and cold entrees, international cuisine, seafood, and pizzas.

Fine dining with a view: The Restaurant at the Getty Center

For an elegant lunch or dinner with one of the best views in Los Angeles, head up to The Restaurant, with seasonally inspired menus, a distinctive wine list, and a full bar. Try out the four-course prix fixe menu inspired by the current exhibit or indulge in The Restaurant’s Sunday Brunch. Inside the 150-seat dining room, you can check out the large, mixed-media art installation by L.A. artist Alexis Smith or snag one of the 75 seats on the outdoor terrace, which boasts views of the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Reservations are recommended (book through OpenTable or by calling the Getty directly); limited same-day reservations may be available at the door or at the Museum Information Desk.

The Getty Center with Kids

Help children engage with the museum—or have fun with these activities yourself

Sure, the Getty Center is a sophisticated, world-class museum, but it also has plenty of kid-friendly appeal. On most Saturdays throughout the year, there are special family-centered activities at the Getty Center, with additional opportunities in the summer (check the Getty Center family calendar). But here are a few family-friendly activities you can (and should) do any day at the museum.

Pick up a GettyGuide

While you’re wandering around the museum, keep the kids occupied with a GettyGuide, the free multimedia guide accessible on your smartphone or on an iPod touch; you can check one out for free (with photo ID) from the GettyGuide desk in the Museum Entrance Hall. GettyGuides provide video and audio clips along with additional details about works of art around the museum, to keep kids of different ages interested and engaged. For younger kids, choose the Family Tour, which shares fun facts about art enhanced with music and sound effects. Tweens and teens will dig the Demons, Angels, and Monsters audio tour, which highlights the use of the supernatural in the museum’s collection.

Visit the Family Room

For some hands-on fun, head to the Family Room, located in the Museum Courtyard by the East Pavilion. Activities include building a tube sculpture, decorating a giant illuminated book page, or playing with camera lenses and a wall of mirrors. When they’re tired, kids can grab a book and lounge on the giant luxurious bed, reclining just like one of the 18th-century French aristocrats seen in paintings.

Get Art Detective Cards

Make your museum trip more interactive by adding this self-directed scavenger hunt through the West Pavilion, which asks kids to find specific paintings and to look more closely at the art. The four activity cards encourage kids to use their detective skills, uncovering clues hidden in paintings to solve the mystery. Art Detective Cards are available outside the Family Room or at the Family Cart in the Museum Entrance Hall, in either English or Spanish. There’s another Art Detective game, too, for the outdoor sculptures in the Central Garden.

Evening Activities at The Getty Center

Visiting the Getty Center doesn’t have to stop just because the sun goes down. While the museum exhibits may be closed, the Getty Center offers a number of after-hours activities for visitors to explore, beyond observing the stunning L.A. skyline. From interesting lectures and live music to films and art performances, events on the Getty Center calendar offer evening enticements year-round. Here are a few great recurring events:

Off the 405

This annual Saturday summer music series brings in both popular and emerging musical artists in a wide range of styles and genres. Past events have featured Moses Sumney, jennylee, and Chicano Batman. Off the 405 takes place in the Getty Center’s Museum Courtyard and is free to the public. Shows run from 6–9 p.m. and include a cash bar of local beers, cocktails, and small bites.

Friday Flights

Held one Friday a month during the summer, Friday Flights is a series of interdisciplinary performances that invites local Los Angeles–based artists, musicians, and performers to create unique connections to the Getty Center’s architecture and art collection through music, performance, film, and other creative interventions.

Evening lectures

Listen to both local and world-renowned experts—like architectural historian Kurt W. Forster and architect Frank Gehry—on topics ranging from “Photography and the Post-Industrial City” and “Drinking in the Past: Medieval Microbrews” to “What Does Blue Mean?” Most lectures are free but require an advanced ticket. Check the Getty calendar for upcoming talks.

Tasting on the terrace

On Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer, come to this happy hour with artisanal wine tastings on the outdoor terrace of The Restaurant from 4–8 p.m. Try a flight of four rosés for just $18, or add on the small-bite pairings for $30. Sunset views are on the house.

5 Great Tours at the Getty Villa

Looking for a little more as you explore the Getty Villa gardens and exhibits? Take a guided tour for in-depth information and behind-the-scenes details from a museum expert. These tours are offered free to the public at various times through the week. Check the current calendar to see which tours will be offered during your visit; then meet at the Tour Meeting Place outside the Museum Entrance. For more free talks and tours at the Getty Villa, check out the Villa’s Tour page.

Architecture Tour

While the Getty Villa houses more than 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities, the Villa is a work of art on its own, modeled after a first-century Roman country house. The 40-minute Architecture Tour highlights various architectural elements of the Villa and offers insights into daily life in the ancient world. Offered multiple times every day.

Garden Tour

Explore the Villa’s four gardens and learn about the ancient Roman gardens that inspired them. This 40-minute tour highlights the garden’s sculptures, fountains, and reflecting pools, along with its 300-plus plant varieties. Foodies may opt for the 30-minute Culinary Garden Tour instead, which specifically focuses on the garden’s edible plants, herbs, and fruit trees and their connection to cooking in antiquity; it’s available on Thursday and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The Garden Tour is offered multiple times every day.

Collection Highlights Tours

Want to see the Villa’s greatest hits? First-time visitors to the Getty Villa might consider this tour, available once a day on weekdays and twice a day on the weekend. This 50-minute tour highlights many of the major works on display from the Museum’s collection. Offered at 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday–Sunday; also at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Spotlight Talk

Short on time? Explore the richness of the ancient art housed in the Getty Villa in this 20-minute gallery talk that takes an in-depth look at one major work in the museum’s collection. Offered once a day; see calendar for times.

The Observant Eye

From mythology to death, nudity to wine, key topics in the ancient Greek and Roman world—and their expression in the museum’s collection of art and artifacts—are examined in the 50-minute Observant Eye tour. Offered Monday and Friday at 2:00 p.m.

Regions

Pick a region form the map or the list below to explore.

Regions

Scroll down to explore the twelve regions of California.

1. Shasta Cascade

This region, in California’s northeast corner, is known for mountains, forests, waterfalls, and amazing, safe-to-visit volcanoes. The region, a 3-hour drive north of Sacramento, gets its name from the rugged Cascade Mountains and their signature peak in state, 14,180-foot/4,322-meter Mount Shasta—yes, a volcano.

Highlights

2. North Coast

With crashing waves along the coast and soaring redwood trees blanketing miles of uncrowded parkland, this is one of California’s most spectacular regions. The largest city, Eureka, is roughly a 5-hour drive north of San Francisco—but what a drive: see lush wine country, charming hamlets, spouting whales, and breathtaking sunsets.

Highlights

3. Gold Country

The western foothills of the Sierra Nevada Range, defining California’s eastern border, are known as the Gold Country, named after the rich Mother Lode discovered here in the mid-1850s. While gold is still found in the region, new riches include top museums and art in Sacramento, the state capital, plus whitewater rafting, tucked-away towns, farm-fresh dining, and award-winning wines.

Highlights

4. San Francisco Bay Area

On the western oceanfront of Northern California, at the state’s distinctive bend along the coast, lies this breathtaking region. It’s framed by an unforgettable gateway—the iconic Golden Gate Bridge—spanning the mouth of San Francisco Bay. Explore diverse cities, picturesque hamlets, family-friendly beaches, coastal parklands, and wine country, including Napa and Sonoma wine country, 1½ hours north of San Francisco.

5. High Sierra

Nicknamed “California’s backbone,” this region of towering granite peaks defines much of the state’s eastern boundary. Visit Yosemite Valley, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes, and the giant trees of Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks—all within a day’s drive of either San Francisco or L.A. In winter, enjoy snow sports; in summer, go hiking, mountain biking, fishing, or boating.

6. Central Valley

Running right down the middle of California, this broad region contains some of most productive farmland in the world. Wine country around Lodi features big, bold reds. Further south, Fresno has a lively arts scene.

8. Deserts

This dramatic region takes up the southeastern half of the state. Remarkable desert parklands, including Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and Anza-Borrego, provide an extraordinary chance to explore, while the oasis-like allure of Palm Springs, 3 hours northeast of San Diego, offers sunny resort-style getaways, with golf, tennis, spas, and high-end shopping.

Highlights

9. Inland Empire

This densely populated Southern California region has surprising alpine getaways, like Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead, in the impressive San Bernardino Range. On the region’s sunny east side, explore the inviting Temecula Valley wine region. The university town of Riverside is the region’s largest city. San Bernardino, the second largest city, has museums and impressive shopping, while Fontana has NASCAR racing.

Highlights

10. Los Angeles County

This sunny region along the state’s southern coast is California’s most populated region, best known as the capital of the entertainment industry. Here, movie stars really do work in Hollywood, play in the surf at Malibu, and shop in Beverly Hills. Looping freeways make the car king, but the region also has a surprisingly good network of buses and light rail—a hassle-free way to explore.

11. Orange County

Tucked between San Diego and Los Angeles Counties, this region is known for flawless beaches and “the happiest place on earth,” Disneyland Resort. Anaheim, the theme park’s home, offers a surprisingly hip vibe in a refurbished downtown. Newport Beach has dazzling yachts, Huntington Beach has iconic surfing, and Costa Mesa beckons with top shopping.

Highlights

12. San Diego County

This sun-and-surf region is known for some of the best weather and warmest water in the state. San Diego, the state’s second largest city, is home to the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, one of the world’s great urban parks. For family fun, play at SeaWorld San Diego and LEGOLAND California. Inland, discover surprising mountain towns like Julian, known for orchards and apple pie.